Is there a way to have a secure folder that requires a password each time it is opened, similar to the discontinued Dropbox Vault feature?

Hello everyone,

Until recently, I was using Dropbox Vault, a feature that allowed me to store sensitive files in a secure folder that required a specific password each time it was opened. This provided an extra layer of protection for confidential files without having to manually encrypt each document.

Since this service has been discontinued, I am looking for an alternative and have turned to NextCloud. I noticed that there is an end-to-end encryption application, but what I am looking for is slightly different: I would like a secure folder that requires a separate password every time it is opened, a password that I define myself.

Is there a built-in solution or a plugin that can replicate this behavior on NextCloud? Any suggestions or recommendations are welcome!

Thanks in advance for your help.

When you setup 2-Factor-Authentication, you can have backup codes, which come a bit like these one-time passwords.
If it is just to secure the access, perhaps just consider using 2-Faktor-Authentication. You can have hardware-tokens (U2F) that are easy to handle.

If you don’t trust the server admin (or just in case), end-to-end encryption is a good additional layer of security. I have also used containers (e.g. VeraCrypt), however handling is a bit more complicated as you need to decrypt the container and you need the corresponding software installed.

Hello, thanks for your response.

I’m not necessarily looking for perfect file security system, just a simple password prompt to prevent access to sensitive folders when I lend my computer. Encrypted containers like VeraCrypt are an option, but they’re too cumbersome for this use case.

Ideally, I’d like a built-in Nextcloud feature or plugin that requires a password to open specific folders, available on my computer and my phone. Something really similar to Dropbox Vault would be perfect.

If anyone knows of a solution, I’d appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks in advance!